Tubular support for skate runners and process



March 18, 1930. a. E. SCHMIDT 1,750,599

TUBULAR SUPPORT FOR SKATE RUNNERS AND PROCESS Filed Jan. 23, 1928Patented Mar. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GUSTAV E. SCHMIDT, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS Application filed January 23, 1928.

My invention relates to ice skates and, more particularly to an improvedconstruction of the tubular support upon and in which the runner of theskate is mounted.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved ice skateconstruction combining a minimum lightness in weight with ruggedness ofconstruction, and wherein the skate blade or runner is rigidly mountedand reinforced in and by the tubular support.

Still another object of my invention resides in such a constructionwherein the blade or skate runner is easily and firmly mounted withinits support, and likewise may be facile- 16 I removed without injuringthe runner or t e support.

Yet another object of my present construction resides in the manner inwhich the tubular support is formed of sheet metal, prefer- 2 ably sheetsteel, and wherein the sheet metal blank is bent or formed to providespaced apart tubes and an intermediate pocket, which pocket is formed bythe over-flanged and interlocked walls of the sheet metal forming thetubes and in a manner singularly to receive the skate runner.

Yet another object of my invention resides in the detailed manner inwhich the sheet metal blank is folded. Particularly, it is flanged alongits longitudinal marginal edges and is thereafter bent or curled wherebyto provide the spaced apart tubes and the interlocking relation oftheflanges forming the pocket for the skate runner. A further object ofmy invention resides in the process for forming the skate constructionillustrated and disclosed in the present application.

These and other objects of my invention will be apparent from a perusalof the following specification and taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein,

Referring now to the drawings in general, Figure 1 is a side view of myimproved skate construction.

Figure 2 is a section taken on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the end portion. of the blank ofsheet metal from which the tubular support is formed.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the Serial No. 248,684.

next operation performed on the blank of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view showing the next succeeding step, and

Figure 6 is a view showing the top portion of the front of the tubularsupport with the skate runner in position in the slot.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, my improved skate comprises theusual toe plate 2 and heel plate 4. These plates 2 and 4 have the usualcups 6 and toe brace 8 rigid therewith. These cups and the toe brace areadapted to be rigidly. connected with the tubular support which forms anovel part of the subject matter of my present application.

These cups and brace may be connected by soldering or welding. or in anyapproved manner.

The present application is concerned with the construction of thetubular support for the skate blade or runner whereby a very light yetrugged and strong mounting for the blade is provided. The invention willbe described and illustrated by reference to the process of forming thistubular support. I I5 prefer to start with a relatively long andpreferably rectangular shaped sheet metal blank 10, preferably formed ofsheet steel. This blank is shown in fragment in Figure 3. In thesucceeding operations the blank is formed along its longitudinal marginswith flanges. One of these flanges, 12, relatively short, extendspreferably at right angles to the main body of the blank before it isbent to final form. The other flange is considerably wider and is formedsubstantially U shaped in cross sections, being provided with adepending portion 14, which is of the same dimension and depth andparallel to the flange 12. In addition, this flange extends outwardly asat 16 at right angles to the portion 14 and is then bent upwardly againas at 18 to provide a free edge 20. The flange portion 18 is formedparallel with the flange 14 and substantially the same dimen- 9 5 sionstherewith. Either simultaneously with the flanging of the blank 10 asshown in Figure 4, or thereafter or before, the end or ends of blank 10is cut out intermediate the flanged portions to provide two somewhatrounded tongues 22 and 24: and to provide a centrally arranged slot 26which extends inwardly longitudinally of the body 10 and liessubstantially midway between the longitudinal corner 28 and the oppositelongitudinal corner 30. The blank shown in Figure 4 is then curled intoposition shown in Figures 2 and 5 so that the flange 12 and the flanges14, 16 and 18 are overlapping and arranged in interlocking engagement inthe manner illustrated in cross section in Figures 2 and 5. At the sametime during this curling and die-pressing operation the tongues 22 and 21 are pinched into position shown in Figure 5, leaving the slot 26 inposition to extend longitudinally of the end of the blank and inregistration with the pocket formed between the flanges 12 and 18. Itwill thus be seen that the end of the blank is pinched or diepressedinto finished and substantially rounded formation and is formed with theintermediate slot 26 for the reception of the end of the skate runner.By reference to Figure 2 it will be seen that the flange 16 of the blankform contacts with the inner wall of the intermediate portion of theblank 10 and that the end 28 of the flange 14 abuts the op positeportion 30 of the tubular curl 32' and that the end 3 1 of blank 12abuts the inner face of the flange 16, thereby providing not only a firminterlock between these portions and the main body of the tubular blank,but also providing a rigidly reinforced multiwalled constructionproviding the pocket or recess extending longitudinally of the tubularsupport and into which the skate runner 36 is snugly fitted. When theskate runner is in position its inner longitudinal edge firmly andsnugly contacts with the flange 16. hen the tubular support is formed asherein described the skate runner 36 is inserted into the socket in themanner illustrated with the nose 38 of the runner inserted in the slot26 of the front edge of the tubular support and with the heel of therunner in the other slot formed in like manner at thev rear of the blank10. The skate runner is soldered in position.

It will thus be seen from my present construction that I provide a verylight sheet metal construction which, because of its tubular formationand partly because of the spaced apart formation of the tubes 40 and 42with the intervening pocketin which the skate runner is mounted, and inwhich construction the flanged or free longitudinal marginal edges oforiginal blank are arranged overlappinp'ly interlocked to provide notonly the longitudinally arranged snug pocket for the skate blade, butalso to provide a three walled construction for rigidity, I provide avery strong support for the blade. A further advantage of myconstruction resides in the manner in which the integral metal of theblank is folded so that the U- shaped flange at its inner marginal edgehas a horizontal flange 16 thereof firmly backed against the oppositeflat wall of the blank 10 and wherein the flanges l4 and 18 of thisU-shaped flange form the pockets and receive the overlying flange 12 ofthe blank. Particular attention is directed to thefact that the pocketas thus formed is relatively deep, that it provides three rigid walls ofsheet steel and that upon each side of this ri id pocket constructionthere is provided a tu ular supporting and reinforcing construction.These two tubular portions of the support, because of their relativelylarge area and their location on each side of the multi-walled pocket ofthe blade, and because of the depth of this pocket, provide the maximumstrength in combination with a minimum lightness of construction. and inaddition provide a pocket which serves rigidly and firmly to hold theblade in true position without permitting it to warp or twist. Further,by reason of the fact that the blade is soldered and not welded orriveted, it is notsubjected to any of-the warping foundin the latterlconstructions. So also, aft-er the plateisonce inserted the rigidityofthe melting prevents any warping operation.

Another practical advantage of my improved construction resides intheease with which the blade may be inserted in its pocket, and ifreplacement or repair is desirable, the ease with which'it may bewithdrawn from its permanent pocket and without impairing the blade orits mounting.

It willalso be appreciatedby-reason of the substantially flat surface ofthe main body of the blank directly opposite and in contactwith theflange 16, as shown in Figure2, I

provide a very strong reactive pressuresurface forming the base of thepocket and in addition by means of thefiat upper surface of the tube itis easier-to mount the cups 6 and 8 on the tubular support.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. in ice skate having a tubular supportformed of sheet metal, said sheet metal being bent to provide spacedaparttubularportions extending longitudinally of the support, theadjacent walls of the tubular portions being inter-folded and arrangedto provide a pocket ext-ending longitudinally of and between the tubularportions, and a skate runnerseated in said pocket and permanentlymounted therein. V

2. An ice skate having a tubular supportformed of an integral piece ofsheet metal bent so that the marginal, longitudinal edges of the sheetmetal are interfolded-to provide a pocket extending longitudinally ofthe-sup port, said sheet metal being bent to provide longitudinallyextending tubes on each side pocket.

of the pocket, and a skate runner mounted in said pocket.

3. An ice skate having a tubular support formed of sheet metal, bent sothat one marginal edge thereof provides a substantially U- shapedpocket, the other marginal edge of said metallic sheet providing aflange bent over and lying in the U-shaped pocket and contacting withone of the inner walls of the U-sh'aped pocket and spaced over the otherwall of the U-shaped pocket to provide a recess therebetween, extendinglongitudinally of the support, and a skate runner permanently mounted insaid recess.

4. An ice skate having a tubular support formed of sheet metal, bent sothat one marginal edge thereof provides a substantial U- shaped pocket,the other marginal edge of said metallic sheet providing a flange bentover and lying in the U-shaped pocket and contacting with one of theinner walls of the U-shaped pocket and spaced from the other wall of theU-shaped pocket to provide a re cess there-between, extendinglongitudinally of the support, and a skate runner permanently mounted insaid recess the free edges of the free flanges of said sheet metalabutting angularly disposed portions of the metal sheet.

5. An ice skate having a tubular support comprising a single sheet ofmetal bent to form a longitudinal extending upper flat wall and twoextensions of said wall curving downwardly in opposite directions andthence inwardly to provide spaced apart longitudinal extendin tubes, oneof said walls having an integral extension extending parallel with thefirst mentioned flat wall and in contact therewith, said extension beingbent at right angles to provide a free flange lying parallel to and incontact with the inward extension of the other curved wall, so as toprovide a longitudinally extending pocket, and a skate blade seated andsoldered in said 6. An ice skate having a longitudinally extendingtubular support composed of a 1 bent into position whereby the U-shapedflange has its base extending within the bent blank and contacting withthe under side thereof, and wherein the other flange is bent over thefree flange which is U-shaped cross section and lying parallel to and incontact therewith to provide a longitudinal extending pocket, the freeedge of the first mentioned flange lying within and abutting the innerface of the base of the U-shaped flange and the free edge of the freeflange of the U shaped flange abutting the under side of the sheet metalblank at the angle of the first mentioned flange with the blank and askate runner lying in the recess or pocket and having its upper edgesnugly abutting the base of the U-shaped flange.

7. An ice skate having a longitudinal extending tubular support formedof a single piece of sheet metal bent to provide two spaced aparttubular portions with the walls of the tubular portions overlapping andabutting to provide a longitudinal extending pocket, and a skate runnerrigidly mounted and soldered in position in said pocket.

8. A skate runner having a tubular support formed of an integral pieceof sheet metal curled upon itself to provide two spaced apart tubes,said blank being formed to provide a pocket disposed between said tubesand extending longitudinally of the said support, the ends of saidsupport being pressed together to somewhat rounded form and beingprovided with slots lying in the plane of the pocket and a skate runnermount ed in the pocket with its opposed ends mounted in the slots.

9. The herein described process which comprises forming a substantiallyrectangular shape of sheet metal with marginal flanges one of which isof substantially U-shaped formation with its open mouth facing in thedirection opposite to the extension of the other flange, and providingthe ends of the blank with spaced apart tongues and an intervening slotdisposed substantially intermediate to the main body of the blank,curling the blank and the U-shaped flange to contact the base of theflange with the under side of the blank and with the opposite flangeoverlapping and lying within the U-shaped flange and in contact with theinner face of a wall thereof whereby to provide a longitudinal extendingpocket, and pressing the free tongues together to provide relativelyrounded or bluntends for the tubular support and mounting a skate runnerin the pocket with the ends of the skate in the slots formedbetween thetongues.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

GUSTAV E. SCHMIDT.

